1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an input of data and, more particularly, to a data input apparatus, medium, and a method detecting a selective data input, which can detect the selection of differing data input from an image of selectable data inputs.
2. Description of the Related Art
With recent developments in technology, various types of input apparatuses appropriate for use in various environments have been developed.
Of the differing input apparatuses, there are optical input apparatuses that use a laser projection system, such as that discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,318, which is illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, such a conventional optical input apparatus includes a laser image projection unit, an infrared receiving unit, such as a camera, and an infrared emitting unit.
Here, an image, having the shape of a keyboard, is projected onto a desk, for example, by the laser image projection unit to generate a virtual keyboard. In this example, the infrared emitting unit radiates the infrared laser in a horizontal line form.
When a user selects a specific key using his or her finger, for example, the infrared receiving unit can detect the location of the finger by analyzing the pattern of the infrared laser reflected by the finger.
Thereafter, the key that is selected by the user is determined based on the detected location of the finger, and a corresponding key code is transmitted to computer equipment, for example.
In another conventional system, U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,422 discusses another example in which a structure similar to that of FIG. 1 was adopted, but where an infrared receiving unit detects the contour of a finger, analyzes the overall motion of the finger, generates a key code corresponding to a key selected by the finger indicating a vertical pressing operation, and then transmits the generated key code to other equipment.
These conventional technologies are limited in that it is difficult to implement such examples with a small-sized optical input apparatus since they must essentially include a laser image projection unit, an infrared receiving unit, such as a camera, and an infrared emitting unit. In addition, the angle formed by the infrared receiving unit and the infrared emitting unit must also be kept uniform.
With these conventional examples, the angle formed by the infrared receiving unit and the infrared emitting unit may also change while the above-described optical input apparatus is used by a user, resulting in an additional problem of the key being selected by the user not being correctly detected. Further, as high-priced infrared emitting unit is an essential component, it is difficult to popularize the apparatus because of the ultimate product costs to consumers.